When we drove the new Honda Civic earlier this year, all we could think about was a question: when will the Type-R arrive? Now we have something that’s not an answer but is good enough: a set of spyshots that show a test mule of the hot hatch.

The images show a Civic that’s wearing a huge (by OEM standards) wing at the back and a slightly modified front bumper (this seems to have a metallic add-on lower elements), with these indicating that we are talking about a go-fast version of the Civic.

Honda will stay true to its Type-R philosophy, so instead of slapping a turbo and throwing itself in the HP war that currently going on in the hot hatch segment, it will use a high-revving naturally aspirated engine that’s set to offer 220-230 hp. However, the heart of the vehicle will be its chassis, with Honda expected to make radical changes, but without its usual partner, Mugen.